Refugee Comedy, Transgender love story lead pack at Berlin film festival

A European refugee comedy and a transgender love story are tipped to clinch prizes at the Berlin film festival, which has been dominated by criticism of rising intolerance and US President Donald Trump.

The two films led a critics’ poll in British film magazine Screen and played well among reviewers surveyed by the German dailies Der Tagesspiegel and Berliner Zeitung.

Last year, jury president Meryl Streep gave top honours to Italy’s “Fire at Sea”, a portrait of the refugee crisis on the island of Lampedusa. It is nominated for an Academy Award for best documentary this month.

The 11-day Berlinale, Europe’s first major cinema showcase of the year, screened nearly 400 features, 18 of which are nominated for the main prizes.